This invention relates generally to the art of body garments for securing and supporting a surgically implanted catheter, and particularly to a belt for securing and supporting an implanted catheter at the site of peritoneal dialysis therapy.
A surgically implanted catheter provides an opening through which dialysis solution can be instilled into the abdominal cavity of a peritoneal dialysis patient. Since free movement of the external portion of the catheter can cause irritation and infection at the exit site, the protruding catheter needs to be secured against the patient's body, thus providing greater protection and comfort.
Various body garments exist in the prior art for securing and supporting medical tubing and catheters. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,666,432 to McNeil, 4,582,508 to Pavelka, and 4,578,062 to Schneider disclose garments with over-the-shoulder straps which secure a catheter to the upper body torso. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,244,464 to Madden et al. and 5,342,317 to Claywell, an anchor band is fastened to a portion of the body, medical tubing traverses the band, and a secondary band or strip secures the tubing to the anchor band. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,959,055 to Hillyer discloses a retainer for a percutaneous tube which provides a seal to prevent the loss of fluids through the exit site, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,397 to Kalt et al. discloses a clamp which holds medical tubing to the skin of a patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,867 to Endo discloses a peritoneal dialysis catheter protector belt equipped with an open-ended pouch which protects the end of the catheter and prevents it from dangling. The belt is displaced slightly from the protruding end of the catheter at the exit site, such that the catheter passes over the belt in order for its end to be received by the pouch. There is no teaching by the patent of direct support at the exit site for the catheter, and no teaching of providing an initial orientation to the protruding catheter in order to direct it to the pouch.
In current practice, many peritoneal dialysis patients use adhesive tape to maintain the external portion of the catheter against the body so that it does not hang and is not otherwise susceptible to inadvertent dislodgement. The tape secures the catheter directly to the skin. In order to have therapeutic access to the protruding end of the catheter, however, the tape must be removed, then reapplied upon completing the dialysis procedure. The repeated application and removal of the adhesive material can cause the skin to become sensitive and irritated, particularly in elderly patients, which may induce intense pain and anxiety in the patient.
While the prior art may satisfactorily provide for the needs of many peritoneal dialysis patients, room exists for improvement in providing a belt which directly supports the protruding catheter at the exit site, orients the catheter toward the holding means along the belt, and supports the catheter along its entire protruding length. It is also important and advantageous that such belt not employ the use of adhesive materials.